Tape-printing telegraph



y July 21, 1942.

H. o. RUGH i 2,290,385

TAPE-PRINTING TELEGRAPH Filed Aug. 27, 1940 5 sheets-sheet 1 I UNE Wai/1444@- ATTORNEY.

July 2l; l1942. H, Q RUGH 2,290,385

TAPE-PRINTING TELEGRAPH Filed Aug'. 27, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fsa 33 Harry 0mg/f INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

July 2L 1942. HQRUGH 2,296,385

TAPE-PRINTING TEALEGRAPH Filed Aug 27, 1940 s sheets-sheet s klar/y0. Agus/1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patente-d July 21, 1942 2,290,385- TArE-PaiNTING TELEGRAPH.

Harry 0. Rugh, Chicago, Ill., assi'gnor t'o Bartlett S. Marimon, trustee, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 27, 1940, Serial No. 354,427

3` Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in tapeprinting telegraph and it consists of the special.

features recited in the annexed claims.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a printing telegraph system that uses a tape on which the received message is printed; that employs standard synchronous driving motors for the key operated sender and the type wheel receiver; that uses a group of selecting-bars beneath thev letter keys that are connected to similarly numberedpoints on a distributer having a brush which is driven by the motor; that completes the entire operation of transmitting a single character within a single revolution of the brush; and that automatically controls the admissible speed of character repetition, both physically and optically.

In cooperation with the sender I provide a printer that may be connected to it by direct wire, over lighting circuit lines, or by radio; that has an intermittently operated printing wheel which isA driven frictiona-lly by its synchronous sixty cycle motor; that simultaneously operates a distributer brush which is a substantial duplicateof the sending brush; that provides a printing wheel, which is positionedfor each character received through the cooperation oi the distributer and a plurality of selecting relays moves one o1' more disks from a Zero point so that theypresent notches on all the disks in register with each other; that by reason of such registering notches a projecting pin from a type wheel positioning arm will drop into the aligned notches wherever they may be, within the circumference of the disks; that at the same time the selected letter on the type wheel will be directly above the tape; that immediately after the selection of the letter has been made, corresponding to the code transmitted by the sender which has been interpreted by the brush of the receiving distributer and the action of the corresponding relays and the release of the code disks and thev making of the impression, the tape is then fed forward and the code disks are restored to zero positionV for a new letter; that when these operations are comi pleted the type wheel positioning arm isV locked until a new release pulse-comes from the sender to again repeat the operation for the same or any other characters; and that all of these functions occur within a single revolution of the distributer brushes.

With these and other ends in view I illustrate in the accompanying drawings such instances of adaptation as will disclose the broad underlying features of the invention without limiting myself to the specific details shown thereonandl described herein. Y

Fig. 1 is a schematicview in diagram form of the related parts of! the sending station.Y

Fig. 2- is-atabular arrangement of the key lever in relation to the selecting bars positioned below the key levers.

Fig. 3v showsthe diagrammatic circuit interrelation of a sending and receiving station.

Fig. 4 isa detached elevationl of a selecting bar inA insulated relation to a circuit.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 but with the bar shifted to make an electricall Contact.

Fig. 6- is a detachedAk elevation of a selecting bar and a type bar adapted to move theformer to the left similar to-Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 isa view similar to Fig. 6 showing the type bar in relation to a saw-tooth notch adapted to move the bar to the right similar to Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is agroup of veselecting bar fragments grouped under theletter Ejthey are numbered 'In roman numerals. The bar I with a key lever depressed has been movedr to the left similar to Fig. 5. Bars. II, III,'IV, V show the type bardepressed the same as barl I these, four bars have all'been moved to the` right so' as to put them out of electrical contact.

Fig, 9i is a plan View' of a relay showing its stop pin in front of a disk plate.

Fig. 10 isavi'ew similar` to Fig. 9 showing the plate. released.V

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic View showing the release of the printing shaft and the related electrical connectionsto the type finding arm on the printing wheel- Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic View showing the printing impr-essor, paper feed and the disk restoring means. v

Fig. 13 is a schematic` View, in diagrammatic for-m, showing the' related parts of a receiving station. l Y

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic View of assembled disks andrelays with the type selecting arm having its letter iinder in a group oi aligned notches.

Fig. 15 is a-, view similar to; Fig: 14Y showing a group of fivev relays and; their releasing pins in front, or stop plates. secured'. on the notched disk. For .simplicity the; notchesare not shown in this vlew..

Eig; 16 is: a` perspective. view, showing. the notches of five` disks. (I,` II, III, IV, and V) in alignment. with` eachY other.

Fig. 157 is aview. similarv` to Fig.. 1.6 showing a second disk (II) bridging the aligned notches of disks I, III, IV, and V.

Fig. 18 is an elevation of the disk IV with its related saw-tooth notches.

In practicing my invention I may use whatever equivalents of function or alternative parts that the exigencies of varying conditions may demand without departing from the broad scope of the invention.

The transmitter I may use a sixty cycle motor I for sending key board impulses to a distance or any other type of synchronization to a receiving motor 2. At the sending end the motor, through a conventional speed reducer drives a commutating arm 3 with an attached brush that makes a single revolution for each letter cycle and then comes to a controlled stop. Y

There are the usual letter keys 4 attached to key levers 5 fulcrumed at one end. They are under conventional spring tension to hold them normally in a raised and inactive position, ready to be depressed by the operator.

Beneath, and at right angles to the key levers 5, there are ve notched bars (I, II, III, IV, and V) 6. The notches 'I on the bars correspond to each letter key 4 according to a prearranged code shown on the drawing. The selecting bars 6 may be normally held under spring tension against a stop at one end. When any key 4 is struck, a key lever 5 is moved. The bar or bars corresponding to its code are pushed endwise by the downward movement of theV key lever to close a related circuit to its commutator contact. On the release of the key the bars which were used are automatically restored endwise under spring tension or otherwise to their normal or zero position.

The bars 6 in modified form, Figs. 4 8 normally remain in a floating position xed by the last movement of a key lever above them in contrast to the above described manipulation. Each bar on its under-edge may have inserted av narrow piece of insulating material II against which a delicately poised flat spring 4I may rest. When the bars are in their idle position the Springs are on the insulating blocks. As soon as they are shifted endwise by the movement of a key the spring will pass off from the block and engage the metal of the bar to close a circuit. The key levers 5 engage saw-tooth notches I made on the upper edges of the bars.

When these notches are beveled upward to the left, as at 43 the downward` movement of the type bar will slide a bar to the left and close the circuit. When notches are formed with the incline 44 leading upward to the right, such notches will cause the bars to be moved in the opposite direction so as to break the circuit. The vertical edge 45 of each notch 1 prevents amoved bar 5 from being shifted too far, hence without the use of any accessory means, the bars will remain in position ready to receive successive key lever movements. When a period of the key board is struck all the bars 6 (Fig. 3) are moved simultaneously so that each bar 6 closes the circuit from a suitable source of current to the same numbered contact (I-V) 9 on the stationary commutator I0 to be transferred consecutively to the line I4 through the movement of the rotating brush II, thatis, all of the contacts 9 will be engaged by the vbrush in eachfsingle revolution. The pulses sent to the receivingstation will in actuating sequence through the correspondingly numbered contacts (I-V) 25 in the receiving commutator 26 and the similarly numbered relays 3I release the first (I) of the disk 28, the second (II) one, the third (III) one, the fourth (IV) one, the fth (V) one at almost instant operation. The grouped disks will present one saw-tooth notch 32 of each disk 28 in alignment with a similar notch of each of the other disks so that the letter finding projection pin 34 of the selecting or finding arm 35 drops into the aligned notches the position of the type wheel I6 will be opposite the tape 2'I to be impressed upon it.

I have found it expedient to use the period at the beginning of every sentence or phrase because all of the coded bars (I-V) 6 will be positioned at the same starting point. Whatever combinations are made through the use of one or more bars and corresponding contacts on the commutatore, III and 26, only those contacts will be alive that the specific coded pulses require and for the given letter selected the others will be dead. The sending and receiving machines may also be operated without using only ve bars to produce a period, a dash, or any other arbitrarily selected character. The permutation of five different bars is and there is ample room for other combinations to represent different symbols or characters. Should six bars be selected the possible combination would be '720. The tabulated code of Fig. 2 is partially conventional.

An inspection of Fig. 2 will show the tabulated bars (I-V) that are used for each letter of the alphabet including the comma, the period, the dash, and a space. Other combinations may be made, as desired, for numerals and other characters or symbols. In this instance the letter A uses bars I and II (6) corresponding to contacts I and II (9) of the commutators I0 and 26, relays I and II (3|) and disks I and II (28). The letter B uses numbers I, IV, and V (6), C" uses II, III, and IV (6) The letter O uses .y only two bars viz., IV and VV (6). The space uses a single bar, III (6) etc., etc.

The depression of aA key moves one or more notched selecting bars 6 according to a prearranged code corresponding to the key which has been depressed. A separate wire 8 is in separate electrical connection from each bar to the corresponding contacts 9 on a stationary commutator I0. The contacts are radially positioned in concentric order and the commutating brush II, driven frictionally by the motor I, sweeps across the contacts (1 -V) '9 in rapid succession. At the end of each revolution it is held against rotation by a catch I2 that is released through the rst movement of any one of the key levers by a trip I3.

The contacts 9 and motor I are connected to the transmitting line I4, or radio hook-up in any conventional manner. If a supply circuit is used as a source of current and simultaneously as a transmission line a battery is not required, but if a conventional telegraph line, or-radio transmission is used then a battery `source of current will be employed.

In order that the keys 4 may not be too rapidly depressed I provide a visual and physical control. This comprises a red glow lamp I5 that indicates the moment during which a key may be struck. The duration of this visible signal is under the control of the operator, withinprescribed limits, to prevent the piling up of letter4 impressions of the receiving type-wheel I6V on the receiving tape-21.

This control includes a pivoted frictional segment I8 that rests, While in action, on the motor shaft I9. The rotation of the small diameter shaft slowly moves the large radius segment I8, clockwise against the action of a restoring spring, until a cam 28 on the shaft raises it out of mechanical contact with the shaft andi closes the lamp circuit. This permits the segmentV I8 to return slowly under the action of the spring keeping theY circuit closed until a pivoted supporting arm 48 dropsit into a notch 2-I cut into the periphery of the disk 20.

The first movements of the segment I8 closes thelamp circuit and the length of timethe lamp will glow, during the return swing of the segment, is determined by an adjustable stop 22 which limitsthe time in which the segment will return to its starting point. This determines the permissible time constantl for the key-board operations of each letter.

The rotary movement of a commutating brush I I over the series of commutatorv contacts, (I-V) 9, isv all performed within a single revolution of the driving shaft I9 remotely similar to the well known Baudot system of telegraphy. An outstanding diference, is found in my sending and receiving machines.

The receiving printer This part of my system uses a duplicate driving motor 2 that is also frictionally connected, to a duplicate commutating brush 24 which also sweeps over the insulated contacts, (I-V)k 25, on a stationary commutator 28. TheseV contacts are smaller than those similarly numbered at the sending end.

The receivingy brush 24 is held against rotation by a catch 24' that is released through the first impulse which comes from the distant key board. When in motion the brush sweeps over its contacts in synchronism with the movement of the sending brush II. Both brushes are in circuit with similarly numbered contacts (I-V) I and 25 at both stations at the same moment.

The receiving motor 2 has its shaft 29 connected to the type printing wheel I6 through friction disk 'I3 to shift the wheel circumferentially through the required angle to bring the desired letter 23, corresponding to the letter pulses (I-V) that are being sent, opposite the tape 2T in the impressing position;

The selection of a letter on the type `wheel I8 that isto be printed is unique, in that, five separate notched disks (I-V) 28 are mounted movably on the receiving motor shaft 29 concentric with thetype wheel and motor drive shaft. These d-isks 28 correspond in number Vto the five selecting bars YIi of the sending key board. They are normally held under rotary tension clockwise around the aX-is of the drive shaft 29 by spring 3U into zero position 82. Their maximum movement isnot large. The disks are under the control of. relay magnets (I-V) 3I which in turn are electrically connected to corresponding contacts, (I-V) 25 over which the receiving brush 24Vpasses, during each single revolution.

The disks28 are notched at 32 on their circumferential edges according to the coded notches I of the selecting bars under the operating key levers at the sending end. Each disk is moved clockwise by. spring when it is released by its .relay 3l,- a predetermineddistance. varying .ac-

cording 'to the codev impulses coming from the transmitter;

The disks28 are variably notched; For. a given letter, for instance the` letter A disks I and II are moved, but disks III, IV and V are not moved, similarly selecting bars 6, numbered I and II are the only ones. thatare moved to. make contacts I and II corresponding. to disks. 28, numbered I and II. Bars 6 numbered III,. IV,.and V are held away from their. contacts. 45|. The bars are in a floating idle position and the correspondingly numberedV disks 28 also remain in` their idle position for. theletter .A.

The notched disks. 28, as stated, are normally held in, their starting or zero position by separate delicate coil springs 38. attached. to each disk (I-V) so as to. move them from a common starting point when.. they are released by the relay or relays (I-V) 3I. These relays in their action correspond to theY letter code pulsesreceived from the sending station. Just as soon as the, relay stops 33, of a given combination are released the disks move into their new or assembling position to bring the coded notches 3.2. of the actuated disk or disks into alignment. with corresponding coded notches 32 of inactivedisks.

The moment that all the notches. 3.2; of a .group 'are in alignment a letter finder 3.4 of the selecting arm 35, under fri'ctional drive 59, from the shaftGIl, is released. It traverses .-anti-clock- Wise with the arm 35 and dropsinto the aligned notches; 3.2 when it closes-'a `cir-cuit 36to release the printing mechanism.

Before the printing wheel I5 is brought around to the proper :position for a given character a stop plate 5I on a notched disk 28. is released by the pin 33. of its relay magnet 3i. In Fig. 9 a pin 33 is shown againstv the front edge of a platevv 5I. Inthe adjoining. Fig. 10 the pin has been withdrawnand the plate has moved in front of it by the action of its spring 30.

When the, disks are movedk anti-clockwise toward their zero position, against the tension of the springs 30, the stops 33. being spring pressed instantly move in front of the .plates to hold them untilthey are again released. The character found on the printing wheel itis irnpressed on the tape 2,1 Vby the impresser` 59 of the arm 513. The arm is pivoted attil. It has an extension 61| which is acted upon by a projection 53 of the cam 52. This cam is on the single revolution shaft 38 that is turned from the pulley 48 on the main drive sha-ft 29'.A The ,pulley 4:6 coaets .frictionally with a mutilated pulvley 41 on the shaft 38. It restores the disks 28 to their starting position. This is accomplished by an arm 63 that is pivoted at 52. It has an upper extension 64 which engages the spokes 650i the disks 28. The arm 63 rides on thelcam 52. until the projection 53 raises it to restorethe disks to their starting point.

The shaft 38 is released when the letter finder ,projection 34 dro-ps into .an aligned group of notches 32. This iinder is attachedto a bell crank 56 pivoted to the type finding arrn35. The bell crank is-under spring tension to cause the finder 34 to drop-into a group of aligned grooves 32v at the moment thatthe characteron the printing wheel corresponding `to the position .of the group of aligned notches 32 is opposite glare tape, to be impressed on it bythe impresser The bell .crank 65 connects `the circuit 36, insulated disk 58', andthe `-magnet 31, to ground. ',Ilfie.,,othelzxsicley of. the Q circuitl is .grounded from the metal parts in a conventional manner. The magnet 31 attracts the armature arm 49 from beneath the pin 48 on the mutilated pulley 41. This frees the shaft 38 so that the pulley 46, under extra friction, against 41 rotates the shaft 38.

The type wheel I5 is continually supplied .by an ink roller 61. The tape 21 is intermittently fed by a lower wheel 55 and an upper wheel 56. The lower wheel may have a ratchet 51 that is engaged by a resilient hook ended spring or pawl 58, which, when the impresser 53 pushes the tape 21 against an inked character of the printing wheel I5 during the upward movement of the long end of the lever 54. The spring or pawl 58 idly moves into a new tooth of the ratchet 51. On the downward stroke of the arm the pawl pulls the ratchet 51 one tooth and moves the rollers 55 and 56 the proper distance to bring the tape 21 into a new position to receive the next type impression.

A shaft E8 actuates the brush 24. It is connected by friction `disks B9 to a sprocket 10 which in turn is connected by a chain 1| to a sprocket 12 on a drive shaft 29. Between the pulleys 46 and the printing wheel I5 a friction disk 13 is also placed. A similar friction disk is on the shaft I9 at the sending end. Both shafts I9 and 29 are driven .by `a worm gear 14.

The type wheel positioning arm 35 is released by the -catch 39 operating through a shaft 15 that passes through a support 16 which also supports the magnets 3l. At the outer end of the shaft a short arm 11 is secured. This is connected by a link 18 to a rock arm 19 pivoted .at its center. This arm is actuated by a iinger 80 attached to the Shaft B8. The moment that the initial releasing impulse cornes over the line I4, the .brush 24, armature 24 and its magnet 8l, the catch 38 is instantly raised so that the finding arm 35 of the printing wheel is free to move it and the attached wheel anti-clockwise to select a position [for the next character that is to be printed. This movement of the arm 35 may be over any `portion of the circumference of the printing Wheel according to the position of the desired letter on the wheel.

Within each :complete letter cycle the required coded disks (1 -V) 28 are released one by one into position so that a notch 32 of one disk will be in register with a notch in every other disk then the selecting arm 35 is released so that its letter finder 34 will drop into the aligned notches. This alignment may take place at any portion of the circumference of the disks, correspon-ding to the position of the desired letter .on the type wheel I6 which is to be brought .around to the impressing position adjacent the tape 21. The moment the impression has been made the disks are freed to return to their starting position. The reverse movement of the disks will bring an un-notched portion of one or more disks across the previously aligned notches raises finder 34. The arm 35, is then free to complete its revolution and pass under the catch 39 where it is held, ready to repeat the cycle for the next incoming letter signals.

It is tobe noted that whatever combination is selected of any of the five contacts, (I-V) 9 on the sending station commutator l at the sending station, the same numbered contacts (I-V) on the commutator 26 of the receiving station and the corresponding relays (IV) 3l will always be in circuit at the same synchronized moment.

It Will be obvious that the cooperating mechanism, and the interrelation of circuits may be Widely varied to sequentially produce all the cooperating functions in a unitary cycle of time as practical alternatives, without limitingmyself to any specific means for accomplishing the desired result.

All of the various functions are very closely related, as a matter of fact, within a single revolution approximately 1/250 minute of the commutating brushes a key is depressed, a time limit is set for a key repetition, a set of coded pulses is created during the key operation, the receiver is started, the transmitted pulses shift the code disks, the desired letter is found, the found letter is impressed on the tape, the tape is fed, the code disks are restored and both machines are stopped all within approximately one-fourth second of time, ready to have the cycle repeated.

If desired I may scramble a message by using a transposing plug between the selecting bar contacts and the sending commutator, which will shift the contacts three, four, and five of the letter M to contacts one, four and ve, thus substituting the letter B for the letter M etc. By then pressing the B key actuating bars, four, and ve are moved and the letter M will reappear, decoded. An almost unlimited number of scrambling combinations can be made to go through one, two, or three codings so that the first, second and third scramblings will be unintelligible to any one doing the transcribing but the last transcription will completely decode the message. This adaptation of my printing telegraph does not form a part of the present application.

What I claim is:

1` In type printing telegraphs, a receiving machine comprising a commutator having a plurality of contacts, a brush for consecutively engaging each contact in the course of a single revolution, a plurality of relays corresponding to the number of contacts of the commutator, a plurality of notched interpreting disks corresponding in number to the contacts, a plurality of releasing relay magnets corresponding in number to the contacts, a printing wheel, a frictional drive to the brush, a frictional drive to the printing wheel, a letter selecting finger connected to the printing wheel, means for moving the interpreting disks to a common point so as to bring all the related notches of all the-disks into alignment, means on the letter selecting finger of the type wheel for engaging a group of aligned notches, and means for releasing the printing impressing device through the dropping into the aligned notches of the finger on the letter selecting arm of the printing wheel. Y

2. A tape-printing telegraph receiving machine comprising a relay control, a frictionally actuated type wheel, a relay control, a tape adjacent the type wheel, a shaft for said wheel, a plurality of disks on said shaft having variable spaced sawtoothed notches on their periphery, means for automatically shifting each disk on said shaft a variable distance under spring tension when released by said relay away froma Zero position such shifting corresponding to a related letter on the type Wheel, a pawl pivoted on said arm, a spring for actuating the pawl said arm being in frictional engagement with the type wheel and is intermittently movable therewith and adapted to traverse the pawl past the notches of the disks until a notch on one disk is in alignment with a notch of every other disk permitting the pawl to drop into said aligned notches, thereby having moved the type Wheel the required distance to bring the selected letter to an impression point, and means for impressing the selected letter on the adjacent tape.

3. In tape-printing telegraph machines a receiver comprising a plurality of disks, a plurality of separate and variably grouped notches on the disks, a shaft in common for all the disks, a printingwheel in concentric relation to the shaft, a selector having concentric movement adjacent the periphery of the notched disks and the printing Wheel, a printing impressing device operative adjacent the type wheel, and means for releasing the impressing device when a notch in one disk is in alignment with a similar notch in every other disk.

HARRY O. RUGH. 

